Pine shavings on top of moist pine shavings?

[spookyevilone]

I wouldn't. Pine shavings can grow mildew if there's even a trace of warmth and they're moist, especially aspen bedding. I'd get rid of the wet stuff.
-Spooky

 

[OHMYCHICKIES]

Thanks, I think Stall Dry is the best choice!

 

[wilds of pa]

Yup id clean it out if the bedding is super wet, if just a bit damp under roosts, spread stall dry and add some fresh and stir bedding. Ive had my bedding freeze down under roosts when id forget to stir.. I just cleaned two coops out on this nice sunny day..All windows are open and the fresh air blown through it all...Wont get to many days here like this until spring

 

[waynesgarden]

I also have chickens that refuse to wipe their feet when entering the coop from the snow-covered run and get those nice clean shavings damp. I occasionally take a steel garden rake and stir them up. If there is enough ventilation in the coop, they dry out enough. If some are particularly damp, I just rake the clump out into the run. Every couple of weeks, I dump some clean, dry shavings on top of the old and all is well.

Never bought any kind of material to add to the shavings to dry them and don't plan to. I also don't clean the coop every time there are damp shavings and can't imagine ever wiping the coop floor with dry rags.

Try a deep litter on the floor and be done with it for months on end.

Wayne

 

[OHMYCHICKIES]

can you do a deep litter method on a floor with linoleum? I thought it had to be on the dirt.

 

[waynesgarden]

There are different interpretations of "deep litter." I think it was Patandchickens that had a good take on the various ideas of it in an older thread.

I simply keep deep litter on a wood floor (6" to 8" deep) and keep it dry as possible without being overly concerned about it. The more litter I have on the floor, the less problem I have with the normal moisture that comes into the coop. By "normal moisture" I mean the snow that gets tracked in, the occasional gust of wind that blows some rain in or the sloppy habits of the birds taking a drink. (I don't mean dumping the 3 gallon waterer over or letting the roof leak into the coop.) Hitting the litter with the rake takes minutes every week or two.

Usually, under the roosts is the only part of the coop that I have to occasionally stir up with the rake. The birds do a good job keeping the litter stirred up throughout the rest of the coop themselves. Again, with adequate ventilation, the moisture usually dissipates.

Wayne

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have always had a hard time keeping my litter dry especially in front of the door and under the roosts. This year I put a ton of sand in the run, so it has been better, but we have had so much rain and ice already, that my coop would normally be wet. I put 4 bags of Equine Fresh pellets and 2 bales of aspen chips in the beginning of November and have had no wetness yet. I did clean under the roosts today and put in another bag of Equine fresh & some wood chips. My coop is raised off the ground with a wood floor, but the opening underneath is covered with T111 board. The pellets broke down with the first real cold snap, I think because some of the wetness is condensation on the floor and with the chickens scratching around, they broke down without being wetted first. Now under the roosts I had some broken down and some partially broken down along with chips. I guess since no one scratches in the poop, their wasn't enough wetness to break them down all the way. I think that so far my equine pellets have been a success. It has been two months since I cleaned the whole coop and I had no areas of excessive wetness. I like the sawdust of the pellets, it doesn't seem to pack down hard when wet like the pine chips always did. Only 3 more months of winter til I know for sure! Good luck with you Stall Dry.

 

[wilds of pa]

Deep litter method is good, however i prefer to keep the bedding in the coops for about 3 months then unload it,

I think the deepest we get is about 6".

when you got about 10 coops to clean its much less cleaning out on a set time line for us.. Ive noticed they way we do our coops we get maximum mix with poo and bedding around the 3 month mark with about 6" of bedding in coops.

However all of us may have a different way to do things, Stall dry and DE are great also around fly times and Creepy crawlies to, so we always add these things to are bedding at different times and for different reasons..
we all figure out what works best for each of us...

Charlie

 

[MissJames]

Quote:
Do the chickens try to eat it?

 

[Chicken Woman]

If the birds do eat De it is good for then and stal dry will not hurt them either.